I 10 SALMON FISHING. 



from the end of the gut, but not drawn quite tight ; 

 the end of the gut is doubled over and passed back 

 again from above through the opening ; and then 

 again, with this end, a second half-knot, embracing 

 the main, link, is made - below the first. Both 

 half-knots are then again separately pulled tight, 

 and drawn together. This produces the smallest 

 possible knot, and one which will never draw and 

 is perfectly straight. 



The collar should be of the strongest picked 

 Salmon-gut, stained as already directed for Trout-gut, 

 and the strands knotted in a single " fisherman's 

 knot," with a lapping of thin gut inside, or between 

 the knots, instead of the ordinary silk lapping 

 outside. This mode of lapping relieves the knot 

 itself of half its duty, and on any sudden jerk, 

 such as striking, acts as a sort of buffer to receive 

 and distribute the strain. It is, moreover, simpler, 

 much neater, and nearly twice as strong as the 

 common double knot. Tied with the latter a 

 couple of feet of very strong Salmon-gut will 

 break almost always at the knot on a steady 

 strain of from 12 to I 5 Ib. ; tied on my method 

 it will break at any other part in preference. 

 The gut-lapping has also the advantage of being 

 transparent, whilst silk is of course opaque. Fac- 



